Who to start · 2025-26
J.T. Miller vs Mathew Barzal
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mathew Barzal projects to 1.82 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to J.T. Miller's 1.63.
Miller had 53 points in 68 games; Barzal had 72 in 81 games.
This week Miller has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Barzal has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Miller for 1.5 ESPN points to Barzal's 1.4.
Mathew Barzal has the better number in 24 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Miller's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 61.5%, Draw Equity /100 +0.123, Hardest shot 102.6.
Barzal's biggest edges: Plus/minus +10, On-ice PDO 1006, Luck Meter −9.
Head to head on the dot, Miller leads Barzal 18–4.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
J.T. Miller
1.82
fantasy points per game
Mathew Barzal
1.82
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, J.T. Miller has the edge.
| Points per game from | Miller | Barzal |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.50 | 0.47 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.53 | 0.65 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.14 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.21 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.04 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.25 | 0.31 |
Per-game rates from the selected sample; blended mixes last season with this season, weighting this season more as games are played. Categories are scored as z-scores against qualified players at the same position. Your custom weights are saved in this browser only.
Head-to-head: Miller vs Barzal
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Miller 5G 10A, 41 SOG · Barzal 7G 19A, 55 SOG
Miller's offensive zone 3–1 · neutral 11–2 · Miller's defensive zone 4–1 (2018-19 to 2025-26)
Miller blocked 2 of Barzal's shots; Barzal blocked 1 of Miller's.
On the ice against each other (Miller's side)
18:22 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Miller's side
- Shot attempts
- 26–12
- 68.4%
- Expected goals
- 1.1–0.3
- 77.5%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Miller | Barzal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-29 | NYR 1–2 NYI | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-01-28 | NYR 2–5 NYI | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2025-11-08 | NYR 0–5 NYI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-01-09 | VAN 5–2 NYI | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-11-15 | VAN 4–3 NYI | 1G 2A 3S | 0G 2A 6S |
| 2023-02-09 | VAN 6–5 NYI | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 2A 1S |
| 2023-01-03 | VAN 2–6 NYI | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 2A 1S |
| 2022-02-09 | VAN 3–6 NYI | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2020-03-10 | VAN 5–4 NYI | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 7S |
| 2020-02-01 | VAN 4–3 NYI | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2019-02-01 | TBL 1–0 NYI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2019-01-13 | TBL 1–5 NYI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
Latest 12 of 17 meetings.
Every stat, side by side
Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.
Fantasy box score
Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Sep 28 to Oct 4. More games usually wins a weekly start/sit. Chips show how many fantasy points the opponent allows to the player's position (soft or tough), the Schedule Edge from rest and travel, and the likely opposing goalie with his save percentage. Projections use ESPN default points for the games left.
J.T. Miller
4games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.5 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Mathew Barzal
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ TOROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Anthony Stolarz (.893)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs NJD1.4 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +4.1 win%vs Nico Daws (.908)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start J.T. Miller or Mathew Barzal in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mathew Barzal projects to 1.82 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to J.T. Miller's 1.63. Miller had 53 points in 68 games; Barzal had 72 in 81 games. Check this week's games and your league's scoring in the fantasy panel above, since more games usually decide a weekly start.
- Who is better, J.T. Miller or Mathew Barzal?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Mathew Barzal leads in 24 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Miller and Barzal done against each other?
- In 17 games against each other in our data, Miller's team went 8–9. Miller had 15 points (5 goals) and Barzal had 26 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Miller or Barzal?
- Against each other, Miller has won 18 and Barzal 4 of their 22 head-to-head draws.
2025-26 regular season from NHL play-by-play, shift charts and NHL EDGE, processed by Edgehalla. Head-to-head covers every loaded season (play-by-play from 2019-20; on-ice matchups from 2025-26).Compare other players →